Case contadine in Savoia

In research on the evidence of Alpine culture, research on the traditional peasant house of Savoy must not be missed. The region occupies the hinge of the Alpine chain, where its axis abruptly changes direction, rotating 90°. Also for this geographical reason, in Savoy more than elsewhere, the influences of different civilizations have made themselves felt and aspects of Mediterranean and Central European culture still coexist. Much of what we will observe about peasant dwellings will be taken up by dealing with them in Piedmont, Valle d'Aosta and Valais. Then there is a historical reason that unites Savoy to these other regions, the result not so much of feudal origins, but of a dense network of exchanges across the Alpine passes, which began well before Adelaide of Susa united the legacy of King Arduino to the possessions of the Savoy beyond the Alps. This notebook uses material from a large survey carried out between 1942 and 1945, resumed between 1969 and 1975, on behalf of the Center National de la Recherche Scientifique and conducted by Director Henry Raulin. Unfortunately, part of the documentation is no longer current, but for this very reason it has taken on a high historical value of unrepeatable testimony.